A record of documented arms, meaning and origin, researched for the Delacoste family of France.
Reg. 9836 · French, D–F
Coat of Arms & Family Crest Details
Symbols on this shield
mountThe ground held, and steadfastness upon it
bullValour and generosity
Colours
Blue (Azure)Means: Loyalty and truth
Green (Vert)Means: Hope
Silver (Argent)Means: Peace and sincerity
Historical info
Source
J. B. Rietstap, Armorial Général, Gouda: G. B. van Goor Zonen, 1884–87
Blazon (the actual original written record)
“D'azur à un boeuf arrêté d'arg., sur une terrasse de sin.”
Francec. 1663
Where the Delacoste Arms Were Recorded
Bretagne
Map of France showing where the Delacoste arms are recorded
The Delacoste arms were recorded in France, c. 1663.
Arms such as these were typically recorded in Bretagne.
More families held coats of arms in Bretagne than anywhere else in France. The land was divided into many small estates rather than a few large ones, so far more households counted as gentry, and each needed a shield of its own to be told apart.
This is where the arms were entered in the register. Families often moved to other parts of the country, so the same name can turn up in more than one region.
The body that granted and recorded arms in France in this period.
Louis XIV of France
Sovereign of the period
Louis XIV of France
1643–1715
Reigning in France when the Delacoste arms are first recorded.
How Arms Worked in France
In France, a coat of arms was a mark of honor that passed down through the male line to all legitimate descendants. Families often used the same shield without changes to show their shared heritage. If a branch wanted to stand out, they could add a small mark to their shield to show their specific place in the family tree.
Granting authority
The Juge d'armes de France acted as the official authority that regulated and verified coats of arms across the country.
How they got arms
Families typically inherited their arms from ancestors, though they could also receive them through royal grants or by proving their noble status.
Where arms were recorded
Coats of arms were officially recorded in the Armorial Général de France, which began its main collection in the year 1696.
The family's standing
Recorded among the armigerous families of France.
Origin & History of the Delacoste Family in France
The surname Delacoste is a locative name, which means it was originally used to identify people based on where they lived. In French, the name translates to "of the coast" or "of the hillside," suggesting that the earliest ancestors likely resided near a prominent slope or a coastal region. By 1663, records confirm that the family was well-established in the province of Bretagne. During this period, families in this region were often deeply connected to the local landscape, and their surname served as a way to distinguish them from neighbors in small, rural parishes. As the family grew, they became part of the social fabric of northwestern France, participating in the agricultural and maritime traditions that defined life in Bretagne throughout the seventeenth century.
Related Branches & Arms
Root word
Costa
Latin term referring to a rib, side, or slope of land.
This name
DelacosteA topographic name for someone who lived near a hillside or riverbank.
also spelled
Delacost
Delacostte
Documented Sources
J. B. Rietstap, Armorial Général, Gouda: G. B. van Goor Zonen, 1884–87
Dauzat, Albert, Dictionnaire étymologique des noms et prénoms de France, 1951
Archives départementales d'Ille-et-Vilaine, Registres paroissiaux et d'état civil, 1663
Morlet, Marie-Thérèse, Dictionnaire étymologique des noms de famille, 1991
Digital archive packCoat of arms PNG, gold border print PDF, vector SVG and the certificate of authenticity. Sent to your email in minutes.
mountThe ground held, and steadfastness upon it
bullValour and generosity
mountThe ground held, and steadfastness upon it
bullValour and generosity
